FROM 1870 - 1914 > BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS               1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40               Charms and Cures In rural parts of Ireland there was a strong belief in ‘alternative medicine’. Certain individuals were believed to have special gifts ...     Harvest Home In rural Ulster, families held ‘harvest home’ suppers. This was a special meal, like Christmas, to celebrate the successful end to the ...     Eel Supper Today eels are regarded as a delicacy but 100 years ago they were commonly eaten by rural people living close to Lough Neagh and along ...     Stampy Party By the late 19th century some of the old Irish traditions were beginning to die out. This photograph taken around 1907 in Co. Limerick ...     Fairy Thorn ‘Fairy Thorns’ were never dug up even if, like in this photograph, they used up valuable land. Local custom reinforced the belief that ...     Kilrea Fairy Thorn The fairy thorn in the village of Kilrea, Co. Derry became one of the best known landmarks in the area. It grew out over the footpath ...     Rowan Tree In Scotland the rowan tree had the same mystical powers as the fairy thorn. In some Ulster counties, notably Co. Antrim, there was such ...     Magpie In rural areas it was considered lucky to see two magpies together, but seeing a single magpie would bring bad luck. In the early years ...     Horse Shoes Obviously horse shoes were a very common sight in the late 19th century. In summer evenings men played ‘horse shoes’ as they threw the ...     First Milk Many small farmers kept one or two cows, sometimes sharing the accommodation with the family. It became a custom in many parts of Ulster ...     <>             1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40